A WARNING has been issued over fake drugs that could leave you sick to the stomach.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has teamed up with the Paisley-based Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency to warn people about the dangers of buying counterfeit medicines.

The two agencies are worried about dodgy products that include a diverse range of both ‘lifestyle’ medicines – for, example to assist with weight loss – and ‘lifesaving’ medicines, which treat illnesses such as cancer and asthma.

Some medicines contain harmful substances and are not suitable for the ailments they claim to help.

A spokesperson for the MHRA’s enforcement group said: “No country in the world is safe from the threat that counterfeit medicines pose to the health of their citizens – and Scotland is no exception.

“There are people out there who are determined to profit from counterfeit medicines at the expense of patients and will seek to exploit any opportunity to infiltrate the market.”